Torpedo-cane.



PATENTED JAN. 22, 1907.

R. BBAN. TORPBDO DANE. APPLICATION FILED 00'I.19. 1905.

June/Mow oscoe Bean,

RObCOE BEAN, OF BEREA, OHIO.

TORPEDO-CANE'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 22, 1907.

Application filed October 19,1905. Serial No. 283,393.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, Rosoon BEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berea, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in Torpedo-Canes, of which the following is .a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to torpedo-canes, and more specifically to that class known as repeating torpedo-canes, comprising a magazine which may be loaded with a num ber of torpedoes or explosive pellets and automatic mechanism whereby the action of raising the cane from the ground and subsequently striking it against the ground will cause the torpedoes to be automatically fed one by one to the exploding devices and there exploded.

The present invention has for its object, among other things, to provide a cutofi' controlling the passage of the torpedoes and so constructed and arranged as to prevent crushing or premature firing of the torpedoes, while assuring the effective action of the said. cut-oii at each operation of the cane.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the cooperation of said cut-ofl with the detonating-plunger in such a way as to assure the delivery of the torpedoes from the magazine to the detonating-chamber one at a time.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a simple and efficient construction whereby the detonating-plunger and the body of the detonator containing the det onatingchamber may be readily united and held in proper relation to permit the desired. range of movement without danger of accidental separation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efi'ective closure for the re' ceiving-inouth of the magazine which will not readily get out of order.

To these and other ends my invention. consists in certain novel features, which I will now proceed to describe and will then par ticularly point out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a structure embodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the opposite side of the device. 3 is arear elevation. Fig, 4 is a sectional view of the detonating-chainber and an elevation of the plunger. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view taken through the assage connecting the magazine and exp osion-chamher, and Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the upper end of the magazine detached and the spring which constitutes the closure therefor.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates the cane proper or cane-body, which may be of wood or any other suitable material. To the lower end of this cane thereis secured the detonating-plunger 2, which is provided at its upper end with a socket 3 to receive and hold the lower end-of the cane. Between said socket and the body of the plunger there is provided a flange or collar 4, surrounding the upper end of the plunger and projecting outward from the same to a considerable distance. This flange or collar has two important functions, serving in the first lace as a shield or guard to prevent the exp osive particles and gases which may issue from the upper end of the body of the detonator from escaping up- .ward and thereby injuring the operator, and

serving the second place as a means for en gaging and operating thecut-oi f, hereinafter described. The body of the plunger 2' is preferably circular in form to fit the corre-. spondingly-shaped detonating-charnber, and said he fly for a portion of its length on oppositesides is flattened or cut away, as indicated at 5, said cutaway portions terminating at their lower ends in stop-shoulders 6.

7 indicates the body of the detonator, having formed within it a detonating-chamber 8 in the form of a recess, preferably circular in cross-section, open at its upper end and closed at its lower end by a floor or wall 9,, which forms one of the anvil-surfaces of the detonator. Immediately above this anvilsurface the body 7 is provided with outletopenings 10 for the product of the explosion, and somewhat above these openings are formed other openings 11, which serve to permit the direct introduction of torpedoes into the explosive chamber when it is not desired to use it as a magazine or repeating exploder. These openings also form to some extent outlet-openings for the explosive products, and the body 7 is provided above too them with outwardly-extending ribs or Fig. 1 as to prevent them from discharging in an upward direction. The body of the detonator is constructed of steel or of malleable iron and is provided near its upper part on jection 14, formed in one lie in the path of the shoulders 6.

plunger with the bottom each side with an opening 13, formed therethrough, into which extends a tongue or propiece with the body bent by reason ofthe 7 and capable of being body is constructed.

material of which said Before the assembling of the parts these tongues 14 lie between the inner and outer surfaces of the wall of the body 7, of which they form a part, so that the plunger 2 can be readily introduced. into the chamber Within said body. In assembling the parts the plunger is thus introduced with its cut-away portions 5 opposite the tongues 14 until the shoulders 6 have passed beyond said tongues, whereupon said. tongues are bent inward, as shown more particularly in Fig. 4, so as to It will be seen that after this bending of the tongues 14 the plunger 2 is free to move vertically to a limited extent within the body of the detonator, the contact of the lower end of said of the detonatingchamber limiting its motion in one direction, while the contact of the tongues 14 with the stop-shoulders 6 limits the motion of the parts in the opposite direction and prevents separation of the plunger and body. This construction affords a simple, inexpensive, and efficient means for holding together the plunger and body.

15 indicates the magazine, which is in the form of a tube open at its upper end to re-- ceive the torpedoes and supported from the body 7 by being cast in one its lower end being united to a lateral projection or extension 16 of said body. The tube constituting the magazine is provided with lateral. slots or openings 17, which serve to keep the magazine and its contents cool and render the device safer by permitting the explosive products to readily escape. In order to prevent the torpedoes from accidentally escaping from the magazine at its upper end or receiving-mouth, I employ a closure therefor, consisting of a spring or resilient wire 18, having a portion 19, which extends directly across the open upper end of the magazine. The body portion of this wire extends downward alongside of the magazine and is coiled around a pin or projection 20, extending laterally from the exterior thereof. The portion of the wire 18 beyond this coil extends downward and engages the tubular body of the magazine, as indicated at 21, or is otherwise so secured as to prevent the coil from rotating on the pin. The magazine is provided at its upper end with a shoulder 22, against which the arm 19 is held by the resilience of the spring, said arm thus normally closing the receiving-mouth of the magazine in such a way as to prevent the escape of the torpedo. The arm may, however, be readily drawn to one side when access is desired to the magazine for filling or other purposes. The construction is such that the spring is always piece therewith,

cane is lifted from the held in proper relative position to the mouth of the magazine, being firmly held against displacement by the pin 20.

23 indicates a passage connecting the lower or discharge endof the magazine with the detonating-chamber 8, or said passage may be considered as an extension of the magazine to the detonating-chamber. Said passage is curved or inclined, as shown, its upper part being substantially vertical, while its lower or discharge portion is deflected laterally, terminating in a dischargeopening 24 in the side wall of the detonatingchamber 8. This opening is located just below the lower end of the plunger 2 when said plunger is raised to its uppermost position, as shown in the drawings. 25 indioates a cut-off extending across this passage, it's normal position being such as to prevent the passage of the torpedoes. This cut-off is preferably in the form of an arm or part of a resilient wire 26, bent at right angles, so as to extend across the passage, the body 7, or more properly speaking its extension 16, being provided with a transverse slot or opening 27, intersecting the passage 23 and of a size sufiicient to permit the cut-off to be moved into a position clear of said passageway. The part 26 of the wire just referred to serves as a connection between the cut-off arm 25 and a spring-coil 28, formed of the other end of said wire and inclosing the lower part of the magazine. The extremity 29 of saidcoil rests upon a web connecting the body 7 and. the lower part of the magazinetube to hold the coil 28 in proper position. The other end of the coil whereby it is united with the connecting member 26 lies in the pawl of the flange or shoulder 4, as indicated at 30, so that when the plunger moves downward within the body said flange or shoulder will come into contact with the wire and will depress the same, moving the spring, connecting part 26, and cut-off 25 downward, so that the cut-off recedes from the passage 23. This movement of the parts occurs when the cane is brought into contact with the ground in the act of effecting an explosion. When the ground, the spring 28 expands and the cut-off is moved upward again into its normal position, closing the passage 23. It will be observed that these movements of the cut-off are not directly transverse to the direction of movement of the torpedoes, but are at an acute angle thereto, the general movement being in the line of movement of the approaching torpedoes. It will also be observed that as the plunger 2 moves downward it passes and closes the discharge-mouth 24 of the magazine-passage during the time when the cutofi leaves said passage free, and the space between the cut-off and discharge-mouth is such as to accomodate only a single torpedo.

The device thus constructed operates in the following manner: The parts being in the position shown, the magazine is filled with torpedoes, the spring-closure being w ithdrawn from the receiving-mouth for this purpose and automatically closing said mouth when released, so as to prevent the escape of the torpedoes therefrom. To start the oper ation of the cane, it is necessary to first make one stroke without any accompanying explosion by striking the low er end of the cane against the ground. This causes the plunger to move downward into the body, closing the discharge-mouth 24 of the magazinepas sage and at the same time moving the cut-off 25 out of the way, so as to permit one torpedo to pass into the space between said cut-off.

and the body of the plunger, which closes the discharge-mouth 24. When the cane is lifted, the plunger moves upward with respect to the body 7, this movement being assisted and sticking of the plunger in the body being prevented by the spring 28. During the upward movement of the plunger the cut-off 27 again moves into the passage 23 back of the torpedo lying at the mouth thereof between it and the next torpedo, thereby cutting off the passage of any more torpedoes from the magazine. It will be seen that since this movement of the cut-off is, as already stated, not directly across the path of the torpedoes, but in the general direction of their movement, there is no danger of said cut-dif crushing the next torpedo against the opposite wall, and thereby firing or exploding the the same, since the torpedoes above the cutoff can yield freely, being rather pushed upward into ma azine than directly against an unyielding wall. This is of great importance in preventing accidental firing or explosion of the contents of the magazine, since the torpedoes frequently vary in size, so that the cut-off when it moves directly across their path frequently has presented to it a torpedo lying in such a position that the movement of the cut-01f grips itdirectly between the cut-off and the opposite wall of the passage, so that the torpedo cannot yield, but is crushed and ignited. By reason of the construction which I have devised this danger is done away with, as the cut-off approaches the torpedoes lying above it in a direction such as to permit them to yield freely in the general direction in. which -the cut-ofi approaches them. Moreover, the cut-off being itself of resilient material and spring-actuated it is free from any positive motion such as might tend to cause premature explosion. After the cut-off has checked the further descent of the torpedoes the plunger 2 passes above the discharge-mouth 24 and permits the torpedo lying adjacent thereto to fall into the detonating-chamber 8, where it rests upon the bottom 9. The cane is then again struck upon the ground, whereupon another torpedo is fed past the cut-off and held by the plunger, which latter finally strikes the torpedo already in the chamber 8 and explodes the same. The same cycle of operations may be repeated, a fresh torpedo being fed into the explosion-chamber each time the cane is lifted and discharged each time it is depressed, the torpedoes passing, however, only one by one or singly.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise details of construction hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanying drawings, as it is obvious that these details may be modified without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. In a repeating torpedo-cane, a magazine having an outlet-passage to the detonating devices, and a resilient cut-off working within said passage near its junction with said magazine and moving at an acute angle to the direction of travel of the torpedoes as they approach said cut-off, substantially as described.

2. In a repeating torpedo-cane, a magazine having a passage leading to the detonating devices, said passage being deflected below the magazine proper, and a resilient cutoff working at an acute angle to said passage at the point of deflection from said magazine and in the direction of movement of the torpedoes as they approach said cut-off, substantially as described.

3. In a repeating torpedo-cane, a magazine having at its lower end a laterally-curved discharge-passage leading to the detonating devices, and a resilient cut-ofi working in said passage at the bend or angle thereof in a direction forming an angle to the longitudinal axis of the magazine, substantially as described.

4. In a repeating torpedo-cane, a body having a detonating-chamber, and a magazine having a discharge-passage opening into said chamber at the side thereof, in combination with a detonating-plunger adapted to reciprocate in said chamber and to close the discharge-mouth of the magazine-passage when depressed and open the same when raised, and a cut-off working in said discharge-passage back of the discharge-mouth and closing said passage when the plunger is lifted, the space in said passage between the cut-off and discharge-mouth accommodating a single torpedo only, substantially as described.

5. In a repeating torpedo-cane, a body having a detonating-chamber, and a magazine having a discharge-passage opening into said chamber at the side thereof, in combination with a detonating-plunger adapted to reciprocate in said chamber and to close the discharge-mouth of the magazine-passage when depressed and open the same when raised, and a spring-controlled cut-off normally closing said discharge-passage at a distance back of the discharge-1nouth suflicient to accommodate a single torpedo only, said cut-ofi closing said passage when the plunger is lifted to open the discharge-mouth, said plunger actuating said cut-01f to open said passage when the plunger is depressed. so as to close the discharge-mouth, substantially as described.

6. In a repeating torpedocane, a body having a detonating-chamber, and a maga zine having a discharge-passage leading to said chamber, in combination with a plunger reciprocating in said chamber and controlling the dischargemouth of said passage, said plunger having a shoulder or projection, and a resilient wire coiled around the magazine, having a part located in the path of the shoulder or projection of the plunger, and a downwardly-extending connecting part, the extremity whereof is bent to form a cut-off arm extending across the magazine dischargepassage, the walls of said passage be ing slotted to permit the movement of said cut-off arm, substantially as described.

7. A repeating torpedo-cane, comprising a body of malleable iron or steel, or other material capable of bending, said body having a detonating-chamber formed therein, and tongues formed in the op osite side walls of said chamber, separated t erefrom except at their bases, and downwardly directed, in combination with a plunger fitting said chamber and flattened or cut away on its opposite sides for a portion of its length, said flattened or cut-away portions terminating in stop-- shoulders at their lower ends, whereby said tongues may be bent inward after the plunger is introduced into the chamber so as to engage said stop-shoulders and limit the movement of the plunger, substantially as described.

8. In a repeating torpedo-cane, a magazine having an open upper end forming a re- 1 ceiving-mouth and provided with a lateral projection, in combination with a resilient wire coiled around said projection, engaging the magazine at one end, and having its other end bent to form a closure for the receiving-mouth of the magazine, across which it extends when in normal position, substantially as described.

9. In a repeating torpedo-cane, a magazine having an open upper end forming a receiving-mouth and provided with a lateral projection, in combination with a resilient wire coiled around said projection, engaging the magazine at one end, and having its other end bent to form a closure for the re ceiving-mouth of the magazine, across which it extends when in normal position, said magazine having a stop to position said arm, substantially as described.

10. In a repeating torpedo-cane, a magazine having an outlet-passage leading to the detonating devices, and a resilient cut-off working in said passage at an angle to the direction of travel of the torpedoes as they approach said cut-off, and a plunger working past the outlet-passage t0 alternately stop and release the explosives after they have passed said cut-off.

l 1. In a torpedo-cane, a body having a detonating-charnber, and a magazine having a discharge-passage opening into said chamber at the side thereof, in combination with a detonating-plunger adapted to reciprocate in said chamber and to close the discharge mouth of the magazine-passage when depressed and open the same when raised, and a cut-off working in the discharge-passage back of the discharge-mouth closing said passage when the plunger is lifted, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROSCOE BEAN.

WVitnesses:

E. O, IIAGAN,

IRVINE MILLER. 

